Post support

ABSTRACT

A post support includes a box section which is open at at least one end to receive a post, wherein the material of the box section at a wall location of the box section is horizontally slit in a plurality of axially spaced locations to provide either at least two spaced pairs of tabs of wall material, or a single pair of tabs positioned at a substantially central location axially of the box section, the free ends of which tabs or flaps are bent outwardly away from the wall of the box section to form fixing flanges such that bringing together of a pair of flanges by a fixing means, for example, a bolt passing through holes in said pair of flanges, compresses the tabs or flaps inwardly of the wall of the box section thus decreasing the cross-sectional dimensions of the box section in at least two spaced locations or at a single substantially centrally positioned location.

This invention relates to post supports and more particularly to a postsupport of the type which incorporates a box section which is open at atleast one end for receiving and supporting a post, for example, a postsupport of the type described in GB-A-1461802.

Wooden fence posts although cut to nominal size are frequentlyundersized so that when introduced into a box section of fixeddimensions they have a degree of freedom of movement and the effect ofsuch movement can loosen the post support. GB-A-2140057 relates to apost support in which this problem is avoided by forming the insde ofthe box section with upstanding projections. Such post supports areentirely satisfactory in use but in certain circumstances it may bedifficult to introduce a post into the box section especially if thepost is of extremely hard wood such as well weathered oak.

A further form of post support has been proposed in which a portion ofthe wall of the box section is split vertically over substantially thewhole height of the box section and the cut edges are turned outwardlyto form flanges, bolts are passed through holes at the top and bottom ofthe flanges so that by tightening the bolts the flanges can be drawntogether thus reducing the cross-sectional dimensions of the box sectionso that an undersized post received in the box section can be securelyheld.

Post supports with this sort of box section are open to the disadvantagethat in the event of bolt failure or bolt loosening the integrity of thebox section may be lost so that the post becomes extremely loosely heldand may even, if sufficient force is applied to bend the wall of the boxsection, fall over with consequent risks of damage to persons orproperty.

Another form of post support with a rectangular box section has beenproposed in GB-A-2222615 in which the box section is formed from asingle piece of sheet metal such that at the open end of the box sectiona portion of one wall of the box section includes an adjusting portioncomprising a pair of limbs which are adapted for co-operation with afastener by means of which the limbs can be flexed relative to the wallsand tightened onto a post. This arrangement is unsatisfactory becausethe bottom of the post is still free to move with the adjusting portionproviding a pivot. Moreover, adjustment forces the post against theopposite wall of the box section so that there may still be a degree offreedom for the post to move in a horizontal direction perpendicularlyto the direction of compression.

According to the invention a post support includes a rectangular boxsection which is open at at least one end to receive a post, wherein thematerial of the box section at a corner location of the box section ishorizontally slit in a plurality of axially spaced locations to provideeither at least two spaced pairs of tabs or flaps of wall material, or asingle pair of tabs or flaps positioned at a substantially centrallocation axially of the box section, the free ends of which tabs orflaps are bent outwardly away from the wall of the box section to formfixing flanges such that bringing together of a pair of flanges by afixing means, for example, a bolt passing through holes in said pair offlanges, compresses the tabs or flaps inwardly of the wall of the boxsection thus decreasing the cross-sectional dimensions of the boxsection in at least two spaced locations or at a single substantiallycentrally positioned location, the material of the box section in saidcorner location being continuous except in the region of said tabs orflanges. By means of the invention, an undersized post can be securelyheld within the box and, in the event of failure of the fixing means,the integrity of the box section is maintained because the material ofthe corner of the box either is continuous at least in the regionbetween two pairs of tabs or flaps, and optionally also above and beloweach pair, or is continuous in the region above and below a single pairof tabs or flaps.

When there are at least two pairs of tabs or flaps these preferablycomprise a first pair at or towards the open, post receiving, end of thebox section with each tab or flap being defined either by a horizontalslit and the edge of the open end of the box section or by twosubstantially parallel horizontal slits, and a second pair towards theother end of the box section and each preferably being defined by twosubstantially parallel horizontal slits, the lower most of which isspaced from the bottom edge of the box section. If desired further pairsof tabs or flaps may be provided in between these first and secondpairs.

Because the tabs or flaps are formed in a corner location of the boxsection, compression of the tabs or flaps causes the post to be forcedinto the opposite corner which provides the additional advantage thatthe post can be securely held against movement in all directions.

The post support of the invention will normally be provided with meansby which it can be securely fixed to an underlying surface. Such meansmay, for example, comprise horizontal flanges in the case of "bolt down"or "cement-in" post support or may include an elongate member or membersthat can be driven into the ground. Alternatively the post support maycomprise a post extension member comprising an open ended sleeve inwhich case both the first and second pairs of tabs or flaps may bedefined by a single slit and the edge of the box section.

The invention is also applicable to box sections of cross section otherthan rectangular, for example, of triangular or rounded section. In thecase of a triangular box section the tabs or flaps will again be formedin a corner region of the box section. In the case of a rounded boxsection the tabs or flaps cannot, of course, be formed in a cornerregion but they will normally be formed on a line of weld, for ease ofproduction of such a box section.

The invention will now be described in greater detail by way of examplewith reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is plan of the box section of one form of post support accordingto the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the box support of FIG. 1.

As shown in the drawing a box section 1 of square section is open at itsend 2 and closed at least partially at its end 3. Towards its open end 2two spaced apart horizonal cuts 4a, 4b are made across a corner of thebox section 1 and towards the other end 3 of the box section two furtherspaced horizontal cuts 5a, 5b are made across the same corner. Betweenthe pairs of cuts 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, vertical cuts are made along the lineof the corner of the box thereby forming tabs of material 6 and 7,respectively. The free end 8 and 9 of tabs 6 and 7 respectively are bentoutwardly of the material of the box and are drilled at 10 and 11 toreceive bolts 12. Tightening of bolts 12 bring the pairs of flanges 8and 9 towards one another and also forces tabs of material 6 and 7inwardly of the box section 1 to engage with a post received in boxsection 1.

I claim:
 1. A post support comprising a box section having a peripheralwall structure comprising a plurality of planar wall portions defining,in transverse cross-section, a square configuration having cornerlocations between said planar wall portions, which box section is openat at least one end to receive a post of square cross-sectionalconfiguration having dimensions substantially in conformance withinternal dimensions of said box section, wherein the peripheral wallstructure of the box section at one said corner location betweenadjacent wall portions of the box section is horizontally slit in aplurality of axially spaced locations to provide at least a single pairof tabs positioned at least at one location axially of the box sectionin spaced relationship with the open end of said post support, said tabshaving free ends which are bent outwardly away from the wall portions ofthe box section to form fixing flanges, fixing means for bringingtogether said flanges and compressing the tabs inwardly of the wallstructure of the box section, thus decreasing the internalcross-sectional dimensions of the box section at said at least onelocation, the wall structure of the box section in said one cornerlocation being continuous except in the region of said tabs.
 2. A postsupport according to claim 1 wherein the fixing means comprises a boltpassing through aligned holes formed in said flanges.
 3. A post supportaccording to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein there are provided at least twopairs of said tabs in spaced relationship to each other, comprising afirst pair of said pairs of tabs located towards the open, postreceiving end of the box section at a distance from said open end, and asecond pair of said two pairs of tabs located towards the other end ofthe box section.
 4. A post support according to claim 3 wherein each tabis defined by a pair of spaced parallel slots.
 5. A post supportaccording to claim 1 wherein the box section is attached to at least oneelongate member that can be driven into the ground such that the axis ofthe box section extends substantially vertical.
 6. A post supportaccording to claim 1, wherein said at least one location is asubstantially central location axially of the box section.